02 Disco 2 w/ 70000 mi......My last post involved a coolant leak and now that I think I have that stopped, it seems the tranny is giving me fits. The auto transmission is shifting early through all gears leaving me at a low rpm running in overdrive. It will shift first through overdrive before even reaching 30mph. When it gets into fourth/OD, it acts like it is sluggishly dragging and trying to accelerate (like if you were driving a manual and accidentally shifted into 5th gear when trying to hit 3rd OR like you were riding on a flat tire). So, I thought it might be that the tranny was losing atf somehow or that was a sign of time to change. I bouoght the truck about 5000 mi. ago and have no knowledge of the previous service done to it. I pulled the check plug and it was full, but the atf was a dark brown. So, I changed the fluids and added Lucas. It still has the same problem. Any ideas? Much appreciated.

Scott in Mississippi

 

I have heard of this happening on another forum, but I do not know what the problem was.
www.discoweb.org, do a search and maybe you can find it, I will go look for a minute but I have to tell you that I have the attention span of a 2 yr old.

 

Get to a small tranny shop and have them plug in their scanner to see what is going on.

 

This is the same problem I am having. As soon as I put the engine in the dealership is supposed to fix it, although it has been there for the same problem numerous times. Does your mode selector work ( Sport/manual ) located on the shifter console? Mine works when it wants to but they insist its dirty. they have ceaned it a few times and it still doesnt function properly. I am wondering if that may be the culprit. If I am not mistaken our trucks use the bulletproof ZF 4hp22 transmission, which my 85 745i uses and I am pushing almost 400hp to the rear wheels an about 496lb/ft torque to the rear heels, so they are very strong transmissions. I am guessing it is in a default mode due to a lack of signal telling it when to shift relative to throttle position and engine RPM. I'll post something as soon as I find the culprit. It's good to know that I am not the only one with this problem. I was about to just accept that this was the wasy they shifted to increase fuel economy. I gues I'm not crazy after all.

 

Forgive my ignorance on D2's, but you mentioned coolant leak. Throttle body? Don't you have a kickdown cable running from the throttle linkage? I know on my D1, I do and it is touchy. Could be adjusted wrong or changed when you worked on the throttle body.

Just a shot in the dark.....

 

If I'm not mistaken the Disco II doesnt have a Kickdown or Detent Cable. I didn't see one on mine, all I saw were the trottle and cruise control cables, but I will look when I get mine back at the shop and start removing the engine to replace it.

 

Thanks for the replies. I'll check the kickdown cable on the throttle body, but I am like elrocha69 and am not sure that the d2 has a kickdown cable. I'll see. It's funny, it hasnt given me any codes or warning lights, though. It is not drivable in this condition. I'll try to get it to a tranny shop and let them see what their scanner says. More research to come.

 

D2 trannys are electronic and the shift points are controlled by the ECU and the tranny contol unit, so don't go looking for cables to adjust.
Take it to a small tranny shop, not the dealer and have them scan the system for problems.